Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2025

Lung CT Segmentation to Identify Consolidations and Ground Glass Areas for Quantitative Assesment of SARS-CoV Pneumonia
Published on: December 19, 2020
[A case of COVID-19 associated ischemic colitis]
Xin Liu1, Xueying Shi2, Jun Li1
1Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
COVID-19 can cause ischemic colitis, even in moderate cases, presenting with widespread intestinal lesions. This case highlights the link between coronavirus infection-induced hypercoagulability and atypical ischemic colitis presentation.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pathology
Background:
- Ischemic colitis involves intestinal tissue death due to reduced blood supply, with risk factors including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
- Typical symptoms are abdominal pain and hematochezia, often affecting the splenic flexure and rectosigmoid junction.
Observation:
- A moderate COVID-19 patient presented with atypical ischemic colitis, featuring diffuse lesions from cecum to rectosigmoid junction.
- Imaging showed no signs of intestinal ischemia, but pathology revealed thrombosis in small interstitial vessels.
- The patient had no significant prior risk factors, but exhibited elevated ferritin and D-dimer levels.
Findings:
- The study suggests that hypercoagulability, potentially induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection, played a role in the development of ischemic colitis in this patient.
- This case demonstrates an unusual presentation of ischemic colitis with extensive lesions and a slow recovery course.
Implications:
- Clinicians should consider ischemic colitis in COVID-19 patients experiencing abdominal pain and hematochezia, even in non-severe cases.
- Early recognition and management are crucial, as this condition can be mistaken for general gastrointestinal symptoms of COVID-19.
Related Concept Videos
Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by...
COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...
Gastritis-II: Pathophysiology
In acute gastritis, the gastric mucosa becomes swollen and red and undergoes superficial erosion. Superficial ulceration may lead to bleeding.
In chronic gastritis, persistent or repeated insults lead to chronic inflammatory changes and, eventually, thinning or atrophy of the gastric tissue.
Gastritis can stem from various causes, each...
Ischemic Heart Disease: Overview
Atherosclerosis, the primary malefactor, orchestrates this dangerous condition. It manifests as the accumulation of fatty deposits, akin to insidious plaques, within arterial walls. As time elapses, these plaques metamorphose, hardening and...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...

